AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

• AgriAssurance SME Questionnaire
• Detailed Project Budget
• Organization's Certificates or Articles of Incorporation, or alternative
• Last 2 years of financial statements

Who is eligible?

The AgriAssurance Program for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) targets for-profit organizations operating in the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry, that are directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or transforming their products. Eligible applicants must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees, and their annual revenues should not exceed $100 million. Additionally, they must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements and aiming to meet market-specific certification requirements for the first time. Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) individuals or organizations that are for-profit, as well as partnerships, corporations, co-operatives, or communes, are included as potential eligible applicants.

Who is not eligible

The eligibility criteria and restrictions in the given context do not explicitly exclude any particular types of companies or industries. The focus is on those that meet specific eligibility criteria such as being a for-profit organization and operating within eligible sectors.

Eligible expenses

The grant allows for a range of eligible expenses directly related to the project activities and goals.

• Salaries and benefits for staff executing project work plan activities, including MERCs, EI, CPP/QPP, vacation pay, and benefits.
• Professional or specialized contracted services such as inspection, consultancy, financial auditing, environmental assessments, and interpretation or translation services.
• Travel expenses integral to the project, including per diems for accommodations, meals, incidentals, and transportation (e.g., air, rail, and vehicle transportation).
• Costs for eligible carbon offset credits from verified vendors adhering to internationally agreed standards.
• Other direct project costs like shipping, conference and registration fees, marketing costs related to producing materials/documents, and translation services.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Costs incurred before AAFC deems the application complete
• Costs incurred before AAFC approval or the project start date
• In-kind contributions toward the cost-share

• Application completeness and project eligibility.
• Alignment of activities and outcomes with program objectives.
• All project funding sources identified.
• Applicant capacity to deliver the project within resources and timelines.
• Proposed activities and costs are eligible, reasonable, and required.

• Access your program information and sign in to the portal.
• Start a new application for the AgriAssurance SME Component.
• Download and complete the SME Questionnaire and Detailed Project Budget.
• Upload the required incorporation documents and last 2 years of financial statements.
• Complete the application details and submit the full application.

• Applicants receive an acknowledgement notice after submission.
• Incomplete applications are placed on hold pending more information.
• Complete applications are reviewed by AAFC and, in some cases, other federal or provincial/territorial reviewers.
• Approved applicants negotiate and sign a contribution agreement before funding is paid.
• Funding is not guaranteed even if eligibility criteria are met.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program ends on March 31, 2028, meaning all project activities should be completed by then.
• Funding is available on a cost-sharing basis, with AAFC covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.
• All project costs are only eligible if incurred after April 1, 2023, and not before the application is deemed complete by AAFC.
• While in-kind contributions are not eligible towards your cost-share, they can still contribute towards project success.
• M-30 legislation may apply to applicants based in Quebec, requiring compliance during the application process.
• Intellectual property resulting from funded projects generally remains with the applicant, though certain rights may be granted to AAFC.
• Travel costs are structured with specific eligible rates and methods for reimbursement, subject to outlined limitations.